© Aureo & Calicó S.L., subastas numismáticas
© Aureo & Calicó S.L., subastas numismáticas
Cruzado - Henry II Burgos ND
| Billon (.124 silver) | 1.94 g | 20 mm |
| Issuer | Kingdom of Castile and Leon (Spanish States) |
|---|---|
| King | Henry II (1366-1379) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 1369-1373 |
| Value | 1 Real (⅑) |
| Currency | Real (1350-1400) |
| Composition | Billon (.124 silver) |
| Weight | 1.94 g |
| Diameter | 20 mm |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-07 |
| Numista | N#145422 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 93% |
Reverse
Cross, with letters on the quarters, legend surrounding
Script: Latin
Lettering: E N R I ENRICVS REX CASTELLE
Translation: Enrique Enrique II King of Castile
Comment
The diameter of the coin can be used to attribute roughly the minting year, since this coins carry no date.An excerpt of ENRIQUE II Y SU MONEDA TRASTAMARISTA by Elena Ballesteros Iglesias details how the size of this coin and its silver content diminished in a short period of 4 years.
Translated from Spanish, from the original research paper (https://www.academia.edu/6838527/ENRIQUE_II):
"The cruzados should have a size of 120 pieces on a Mark and one eighth of silver, that is, a weight of 1.94 g containing 0.242 g of silver, slightly less than an eight of silver, to the detriment of the Real. Three periods are distinguished, the first one in which the cruzados would reach legal weight and show a Latin cross, which would include those made between May 1369 and June 1370; a second one, in which the cruzados would weight around 1.50 g, minted until the year 1371; and those minted later, with a weight that would slightly exceed one gram. The devaluation of 1370 brought not only a reduction in the weight but also in the actual silver content of the cruzados, to the point that their manufacture would have been uneconomical if the value of the silver had been higher than that of the cruzado itself"
More information about the historical reasons for Henry II to mint this coin and others (Cornado, Real) are included in this interesting paper.
Interesting fact
The Cruzado coin featuring Henry II of Burgos, minted between 1369 and 1373, is notable for its unique design. One fascinating fact about this coin is that it was made using a process called "billon," which involves mixing silver with other metals, typically copper, to create a more durable and resistant alloy. This process was commonly used in medieval Europe to create coins that were more resistant to wear and tear, as pure silver coins were prone to deformation and wear down quickly with use. The use of billon in the Cruzado coinage of Henry II reflects the innovative techniques employed by medieval minting technologies to create durable and reliable currency for everyday transactions.
